India (Empire)

This chapter covers the adhesive revenue stamps of British-administered India issued from 1858 until Independence in 1947, plus the short-term use of British Empire types in the immediate post-Independence period.

The issue dates for some series are hard to determine with certainty, so to avoid confusion all the following Indian revenue issues are listed on this page:

Stamps bearing the portrait of a reigning British monarch (Queen Victoria, King Edward VII, King George V or King George VI)

Stamps whose design features an imperial crown - ie the early issues for Matches and Central Excise and the embossed Foreign Bill stamps plus overprints on these

Small-format Revenue adhesives with the Star of India in the centre (not the later Chakra-design types)

The Forest Department issues

All other Indian federal revenue stamps, including those featuring the Asokan Capital, the Chakra (wheel) and pictorial designs will be listed under India (Independent). Stamps featuring the royal portraits of Indian rulers such as Maharajas, Nawabs and Sultans are not listed on this website but can be found in the excellent books by Adolph Koeppel and Raymond D Manners, which are currently being updated by an international team of experts.

Chapter overview

Agreement (catalogue numbers prefixed A)

Broker's Note (catalogue numbers prefixed B)

​Consular (catalogue numbers prefixed C)

​Custodian's Fee (catalogue numbers prefixed D)

​Entertainments (catalogue numbers prefixed E)

Foreign Bill (catalogue numbers prefixed F)

​High Court Notarial (catalogue numbers prefixed H)

​Insurance (catalogue numbers prefixed I)

​Insurance Agent Licence Fee (catalogue numbers prefixed J)

​Notarial (catalogue numbers prefixed N)

Receipt / Revenue (catalogue numbers prefixed R)

​Share Transfer (catalogue numbers prefixed T)

​Small Cause Court Calcutta (catalogue numbers prefixed U)

​Special Adhesive (catalogue numbers prefixed S)

Note: stamps inscribed or overprinted with the name of a State of Province are listed under the appropriation, eg 'U.P. Entertainments' under Entertainments, 'Bombay Revenue' under Revenue.

Acknowledgments for the India section can be found at the foot of this page.

Currency

16 annas = 1 rupee (12 pies = 1 anna)

PrintersUnless otherwise stated, all issues up to 1926 were printed (typo) by De La Rue in London, and all subsequent issues were printed (offset-litho) by Security Printing Press, Nasik, India.

A. 2a green and brown - not seen A. 3a green and brown - not seen A. 4a green and brown - not seen - illus in BMH but could be DLR A. 6a green and brown - not seen A. 8a green and brown - not seen A. 12a green and brown - not seen A. 1r purple and green - not seen A. 2r purple and green - not seen

1938. New key types bearing the portrait of King George VI. Wmk Multiple Stars (sideways on rupee values). Perf 13½ x 14 (anna values) or perf 14 (rupees). Printed (probably offset-litho) at Nasik by India Security Press. The ½a value was produced by surcharging the 2a in black.

Note: all examples I have seen from this issue have a State security overprint for either Bombay Province or Bombay State, recorded as follows:- Bombay Province: 2a, 4a, 2r, 5r- Bombay State: ½a on 2a, 2a, 4a, 8a, 1r, 2r

Notes:1. As well as the difference in watermark, this issue may be distinguished from Axxx (the previous issue) by the inscription 'BROKER'S NOTE' at foot, which is slightly wider in the original De La Rue issue than in the Nasik reprint as illustrated here.2. State security overprints (offset-litho at Nasik) are recorded on this issue as follows:- Bombay Province: 2a, 3a, 4a, 8a (got all)

1938. New key types bearing the portrait of King George VI. Wmk Multiple Stars (sideways on rupee values). Perf 13½ x 14 (anna values) or perf 14 (rupees). Printed (probably offset-litho) at Nasik by India Security Press. The ½a value was produced by surcharging the 2a in black.

​Notes:1. State security overprints for Bombay Province are recorded on the ½a on 2a, 3a and 1r values, the first two of these being recorded only with this overprint.

​Consular

Note: the Consular issues of Queen Victoria, King Edward VII and King George V all show the appropriation as 'Consular Foreign Bill', many of these being Foreign Bill stamps with the word 'Consular' added in overprint and the original appropriation left uncancelled.

Note: Cxxx are recorded only with both the FOREIGN BILL and CONSULAR overprints, though it is possible that they were overprinted in two separate operations and that the stamps were first issued with only one of the two overprints.

Note: no issued examples of E31/xxx have been recorded, though they are known ex archive with CANCELLED overprint or as proofs. They were later overprinted for Foreign Bill, Insurance or Special Adhesive - see listings xxx for details.

Note: later Entertainments stamps used different designs for each province or state, with no King George VI portrait key types being recorded to date. Some of these were probably issued before Independence but all are listed on the Republic page for simplicity.

Notes:1. As well as the difference in watermark, this issue may be distinguished from Axxx (the previous issue) by the FOREIGN BILL inscription at foot, which is slightly wider in the original De La Rue issue than in the Nasik reprint as illustrated here.2. State security overprints (offset-litho at Nasik) are recorded on this issue as follows:- Bombay Province: 2r

Notes:1. A 4r value exists as a proof (imperforate) but this value is not known to have been issued.2. For similar stamps but wmk Multiple Stars, see Ixxx.

c1925. Provisional issue. Adhesives of various appropriations overprinted INSURANCE at left, reading vertically upwards, some also surcharged, with blocks in lower tablet cancelling original appropriation.

Notes:1. As well as the difference in watermark, this issue may be distinguished from Axxx (the previous issue) by the INSURANCE inscription at foot, which is slightly wider in the original De La Rue issue than in the Nasik reprint as illustrated here.2. State security overprints (offset-litho at Nasik) are recorded on this issue as follows:- Bihar: 2a, 4a, 8a, 1r- Bombay Province: 2a, 4a, 8a, 1r- Bombay State: 2a, 4a, 8a, 1r- U.P.: 2a, 4a, 8a, 1r

1926. King George V key types. As Nxxx (previous issue) but printed (probably offset-litho) at Nasik by India Security Press using new plates. Wmk Multiple Stars (normally upright on all values). Perf 14. The 1r8a value was produced by surcharging the 2r value in black.

Note: the 2r also exists overprinted ADEN, which is listed on the Aden page.

1938. New key type bearing the portrait of King George VI. Wmk Multiple Stars (sideways). Perf 14. Printed (probably offset-litho) at Nasik by India Security Press. The 1r8a value was produced by surcharging the 2r value in black.

​Notes:1. The 3r has so far been recorded only with Bombay Province security overprint. No other State overprints are known on this issue.2. The 2r also exists overprinted ADEN, which is listed on the Aden page.

Notes:1. As well as the difference in watermark, this issue may be distinguished from Axxx (the previous issue) by the inscription 'SHARE TRANSFER' at foot, which is slightly wider in the original De La Rue issue than in the Nasik reprint as illustrated here.2. State security overprints (offset-litho at Nasik) are recorded on this issue as follows:- Bombay Province: 4a, 8a, 12a, 1r, 10r - got all- U.P.: 3a, 4a, 8a, 12a, 1r, 5r, 10r - got all

c1930-35. As above but locally surcharged in words and figures reading upwards at sides, with eight blocks cancelling original face value.

a) Value in figures at left and words at right . 1r on 5r purple and green - got . 2r on 5r purple and green - got . 4r on 5r purple and green - got

b) Value in figures at right and words at left . 2r on 5r purple and green - got . 3r on 5r purple and green - BF 148 illus

c1930-35. Provisional issue. Adhesives of various appropriations overprinted SPECIAL ADHESIVE horizontally (Sxxx) or vertically upwards at sides (others), with bars or blocks in lower tablet cancelling original appropriation, some values also surcharged.

Notes:1. The green printing on the 1r to 10r values varies in shade from yellow-green to greenish black.2. The 2a, 6a and 3r are recorded with inverted watermark, and the 8r with sideways watermark.3. State security overprints (offset-litho at Nasik) are recorded on this issue as follows:- Bombay Province: 3a, 4a, 2r (got scan), 3r (got scan), 7r, 9r, 30r- U.P.: 6a, 2r, 5r, 7r, 9r

1938. New key types bearing the portrait of King George VI. Wmk Multiple Stars (sideways on 1r to 10r). Perf 13½ x 14 (anna values) or perf 14 (rupees). Printed (probably offset-litho) at Nasik by India Security Press. The ½a and 1a values were produced by surcharging the 2a value in black.